Prioritise
by sentinel75
Summary: John tries to change Cameron's behaviour.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to the Terminator franchise, and this work of fiction is not written for any monetary gain.

A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed and/or have put me on their watchlist; I certainly intend to continue to sate your appetites! However, I don't have a schedule for updating, as my writing time is 'only after everything else' at the moment. Essentially, the themes of what I have in my head are Cameron's potential humanity and John's leadership, and a bit of the brother/sister relationship between the two. The next instalment though will be to correct a glaring oversight in the first episode that I realised just the other day...

* * *

John Connor's first instinct after discovering _Battlestar Galactica_ and its basic premise was to laugh manically. _Story of my life – future life, right there._ But he had been hooked by the show, and so he was now slouched on the couch, watching the latest episode. He was fascinated most by the character of Bill Adama, as leader of the remaining humans, leading them to their last hope as the machines followed.

_Yep, that role was written just for me. John Connor, playing the part of the last salvation of Humankind._

He observed to learn. While he understood that it was a story, he was hoping that the writers were attempting to portray the Commander as a successful leader as much as they could, and so give the character many of the traits of a successful leader. John attempted to study these, to understand why Adama acted in such a way, because he knew that in time, he would have to use those traits as Commander. The role that Adama carried would be given to him, not willingly, just as Adama was handed his saviour role.

But, John had noticed, that Adama did not shirk from his duty. Sure, he guessed, the Commander didn't like it at all, but he didn't whinge, or complain. He simply performed his role to the best of his ability. John wondered if that's what he should do, at all of sixteen years of age – _suck it up soldier, none of us volunteered for this shit._ Derek had seemed to think that he should. Why hope, why coddle him, why try to protect him, Derek had asked his mother. Why try to fight what's just over the horizon.

John knew that he shouldn't know about that conversation, but he did nonetheless thanks to Cameron. He guessed that was another perk for having a Terminator with extra-sensitive hearing as a companion.

John's eyes flicked away from the screen briefly to take in said Terminator, sitting on the other end of the couch, as rapt as he was in the story. He didn't fully understand her fascination with the program. She had said beforehand that she read the dictionary in between patrolling the house at night. No effort wasted on frivolous things such as entertainment.

"Humans have astonishing imagination."

John blinked as Cameron spoke. This was new, volunteering information on insights like this-

"Nobody now, aside from people like us, know about SkyNet and the battle between man and machines," she continued, turning her head to address John while still looking at the television. "Yet humans imagine the exact same hypothesis and portray it as entertainment." Her eyes now turned to focus on John. "Why cannot humans imagine the same fate befalling themselves in the real world?"

That caught him. Unable to answer immediately, the best he could offer was a shrug. Cameron observed him for a few seconds longer but when John didn't elaborate, she turned her attention back to the show, the episode now in the last few minutes of runtime.

By the time the credits rolled and the TV was switched off, he had a better response, and sat up in the couch to better face his robotic companion. Cameron dutifully focussed all her attention on him. He mentally brushed off the quirk of mechanical behaviour as he spoke.

"It's because most people recognise it as a story," he explained. "We know it's fantastical, so we don't consider the possibility of it being at all true in real life."

Cameron tilted her head at him. "We learnt that in English class approximately two weeks ago."

"And you reckon I don't pay attention!"

Cameron took in his smirk. "I never said anything like that to you."

"Not verbally, but it's there in the expression on your face."

She frowned. "Except that I have never thought that when observing you in class, and I have never had such an expression on my face."

"Oh. Could've sworn that's what you're saying when you look at me."

A beat. "No. However, when I observe you, I do conclude that the usual posture you adopt is unergonomic, and-"

"So you're telling me to sit up straight in my chair."

She mulled it for a second. "Yes."

John sighed. "Gee, thanks Mom," he muttered.

Cameron opened her mouth, perhaps to counter the 'mom' statement, but then closed it after a brief pause. _Ah, finally beginning to recognise sarcasm,_ John thought. As Cameron continued to remain mute, leaned back with his hands behind his head, thinking about how Adama – both of them – had behaved in the episode, analysing what was good and bad about-

"I do not understand the portrayal of the Cylons though."

"Huh?" Jolted out of his recollection, John looked over at a thoughtful Cameron – or how the machine was mimicking a thoughtful pose.

"The humanoid Cylons are precisely that – humans with limited eugenic upgrades and limited computer interfacial abilities, while the Centurions are better constructed to handle combat, particularly the small-arms of humans. It would be more efficient to combine the two into one."

"Like a, oh, I don't know – a cybernetic endoskeleton with an outer flesh sheath, perhaps?"

"Yes." The sarcasm went right over Cameron's head this time. John sighed again.

"It's because they're infiltrators, Cam, they're supposed to be blending into human society as best as they can, avoiding discovery and carrying out their missions covertly."

"Which is the same role that I was designed for."

"And a role that you've been doing a pretty poor job of recently," John snapped. Cameron blinked at the sudden harshness in his tone.

"You realise that I'm having a bloody hard time getting anyone to be friends with me, Cam?" he continued. "Ever wonder why? It's because they all know about you acting weirdly, and nobody wants to be friends with the guy with the creepy sister!"

Cameron's face was blank for a moment, and then she looked down at her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry, John," she said in her monotone, "I have not considered the wider impact of my behaviour. I will seek to be more aware of it and modify my actions accordingly in the future. Thank you for explaining."

She moved to get up off the couch, but stilled at John's command to wait and his hand signal, settling back into the couch as John shifted his position and mulled over his next words.

"You didn't act this bad in the beginning," he remarked softly, eyes looking at Cameron through his eyelashes.

"Beginning? Ah. When I first made contact with you."

"Exactly. You completely fooled me – and you acted more human than you're doing now. What happened?"

Cameron tilted her head again. "I convinced you that I was here for your protection, and you discovered that I was a Terminator. So the guise of humanity was dropped."

"Okay then. But what about convincing the rest of them?"

"Them?"

He let out his breath in frustration. "Our classmates!"

"Why?"

John thought he had explained 'why' earlier. "Can't you just behave like you did in the beginning – like you're trying to fool me?"

"Yes. It is one of my primary functions."

"Okay, so you're now going to act more human."

She paused for a moment. "Oh. Your question was about intent rather than function. However, I have been keeping as low a profile as much as I can without compromising my primary mission."

"Which is?"

"To protect you."

John hissed and ran his hands through his hair. He guessed that she wasn't dedicating as much processing power to infiltration due to the overarching need to protect him - only dedicating her processor to it when required. He knew that any attempt to get the robot to blend in better was going to be all the more difficult due to the overriding insistence of the 'primary mission'. He'd have to be smarter, smart like Adama…

He had it. "What are your missions?"

Cameron blinked and sat up straighter, his commanding tone highlighting data files on the future version of John. "I have two missions. One: To protect John Connor from harm. Two: To assist in any and all efforts to prevent SkyNet from achieving sentience."

John took a deep breath before plunging on; he wasn't completely sure if the Terminator would obey him and not just his elder self… "I'm giving you a new mission: to infiltrate contemporary human society."

Cameron nodded. "Noted and filed."

"What priority?"

"Priority three."

Now came the tricky bit. "Cameron, am I in any danger of harm?"

"No."

"And can you assist in defeating SkyNet right now?"

She paused a bit before answering, her eyes narrowing slightly. "No."

"So which of your missions currently has the highest priority?"

There was an even longer pause. The phrase _hear her cogs working_ came to his mind, this time more literal than ever intended.

"Considering my previous responses…" He had her, she knew it, and she wasn't happy about it. "My mission to infiltrate human society would currently take highest priority."

John bounced in glee at Cameron's answer. "_Exactly!_ And the same goes in any other situation – figure it out and reprioritise your missions accordingly. _Adapt_ to what's going on around you. Trained humans can do it, I don't see why an extra-smart Terminator like yourself can't."

Cameron nodded. And after a pause, her demeanour, her expression, it all seemed to soften just slightly. She looked at the – entirely unnecessary – watch on her hand and smiled at John.

"Time to go to bed, sleepyhead."

John remained rooted to his spot on the couch, jaw hanging. He couldn't believe that it was that easy, and so quick. Cameron had to grab his arm to drag him off the couch before he snapped out of it. Flustered, he jumped up and made a show out of straightening his clothes, before saying 'good-night' and hustling off.

"John?"

Cameron's call made him pause before he was completely up the stairs. "Yes?"

She was back to her usual robot self. "My main priority is to see that you remain safe, John. I'll do everything I can to ensure that."

"Of course. Overall priority, that is."

"Of course."

John turned to go, before snapping his fingers as he remembered something. "And Cam?"

"Yes?"

"Instead of reading the dictionary, try to do some more constructive reading, like on human society, expressions and such."

"Of course. Thank you for the suggestion."


End file.
